Landscape testing and demonstrating apparatus



y 23, 1950 R. R. METZ 2,508,925

LANDSCAPE TESTING AND DEMONSTRATING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BE'RI1AVVENTOR. 9 R0 R. ME TZ attorney Q-ShGGtB-SIIGQ"; 2

d to/nay May 23, 1950 R. R. METZ LANDSCAPE TESTING AND nmuousm'rmc APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1946 u 7 6 w g mm N u 1m m R g 5 m a J R W Patented May 23, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LANDSCAPE TESTING AND DEMONSTRAT- ING APPARATUS Robert R. Metz, Farmington, Mich.

Application April 19, 1946, Serial No. 663,414.

' 3 Claims. 1

My invention pertains to a process for making preliminary tests of landscape decoration plans and designs and to apparatus for performing the process.

It is an object of my invention to provide a process whereby a landowner may quickly and conveniently test out various landscaping plans and designs in order to more accurately and definitely predetermine before purchasing and planting ornamental shrubs, bushes and'plants, how it will appear on his premises after planting and mature development thereon.

It is also an object of my invention to provide apparatus of natural appearance and full life size whereby the appearance of various landscaping designs may be quickly and convenientl visualized in actual size upon the premises of the landowner.

Further objects and advantages are within the scope of my invention, such as relate to th arr-angement, operation and function of the related elements of the structure, to various details of construction and to combinations of parts, elements per se, and to economics of manufacture and numerous other features as will be apparent from a consideration of the specification in conjunction with the drawing disclosing specific embodiments of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one unit of the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of the rear side of the unit;

Fig. 3 is a side or edge elevational view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken'on line 4-4 inFig.2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a modified mounting bracket;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevational view of the mounting bracket of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a. plan view of the modified mounting bracket;

Fig. 8 is an elevational view representing the temporary installation of my testing apparatus and its use upon the premises of a landowner;

like member comprising a stake or post which is pointed at the lower end, the upper end being protected by :a cap l2 so that it can be quickly and conveniently pressed or hammered into the ground at any or various selected points in a yard.

The facsimile member l3 may be made of any light weight rigid sheet material having suflicient rigidity and durability for repeated use and exposure to the weather. Some sheet materials which have been found suitable for this purpose are plywood, wall board, Masonite and the like and these are cut to full life size. In addition to being cut to the outline of the various different species of plants, the front surfaces of these panel members are also provided with a coat l5 of paint, other plastic material, or otherwise decorated in detail on the front surface to pictorially and accurately represent the size, shape, texture and color of such a species of plant in elevation. Also this serves to fill or cover the sheet material and make it more durable and resistant to the weather. A binder strip l6 of cloth, metal, or other material is secured as by rivets or cement around the edges of the panel for protection.

Fig. 2 is a back view and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view showing one arrangement of quick detachable fastening means, which may comprise a large and powerful bar magnet. Such a bar magnet of good magnet material and of a length of four inches, a width of one inch and a thickness of one-half inch has been found satisfactory. However, it will be understood that th size and form of the magnet may be varied to suit the conditions of use to which the apparatus is to be exposed. The holding magnet I! is secured vertically along the side of the standard I I as by screws or bolts l9. Such bar magnets are provided with two holes 2| and bolts l9 are preferably of the expanding type for securing firmly therein. The adjacent side of the post H is preferably morticed to receive the adjacent side of the magnet ll, spacer washers 23 being inserted therebetween. An armature plate 25 of any suitable ferromagnetic material is secured on the back of the panel I3 by screws 21 in a suitable position so that when the armature is attracted and held by the magnet I! on the post, the panel will be held erect in a proper position for representing the ornamental bush or shrub to be simulated. With this form of mounting and attaching means, facsimiles of various different ornamental plants can be quickly and conveniently erected and interchanged for viewing on the premises. A handle 28 secured on the back of the panel facilitates handling and erecting or interchanging the vari- 3 ous facsimile members. For more strongly attaching handle 28 and armature plate 25 while also reinforcing the panel 13, a wooden strip 30 is cemented to the back of the panel.

In Figs. 5, 6 and 7 another form of quick detachable mounting means is shown comprising a bracket ring 29 of a size suitable to pass freely over the post II and having a threaded aperture for receiving a thumb screw an :in one side for clampin the ring on the post. welding, to the side of the ring opposite from the thumb screw is a bracket plate 33 which is suit.- 7 V ably apertured for attachment to the. back of the panel l3 by screws 35. Preferetblytwo such Secured, as by 10 4 1. Landscape testing apparatus comprising, a set of posts pointed at one end and of a suitable size for convenient manual insertion vertically into the ground, a plurality of fiat panel members having peripheral shapes simulating the profiles of various plants, the front surfaces of said members being decorated to :pictorially represent the appearance of the various plants, and \eonstituting .-natural size, facsimiles athBfiBOf, and "mrmnti. mea s on the. backs of isaid. members for quick attachment or detachment of said panel members upon the respective posts. 2, Landscape testing apparatus comprising, .ipUstsepointed-atcne end and of a suitable size mounting rings 29 are provided in verticaliy'"r5"forconvenient manual insertion vertically into spaced relation on the back of 'theznanel, but 7:

only the uppermost one of these rings needs to be provided with a clamping screw. Thecap-li on 3 the post it is preferably made flush with-thezsurface so that these bracket rings 29 may be easily lifted upoff the upper nd-o he p s w en th type o m u ing is pr v ded- The "facsimile panels :can be "selected from a s q rane1s ich ar tnro d d o'repre- 's nt h variou -sp s 'ofplantsri ull" lif i and these can be quickly and conveniently mou ted upo od standards o i e thanged thereon, A set Q'f. su h ds a cljpic- "torial panel members are provided so that any yard which is to be landscapednan'be quickly 30 [and conveniently tested out :for all the erent lpossjibleipl'ans andarrangements of all the differn p' c es p ants co side d n co d ce ith m improved proc s ground, :a plurality of fiat panel members constituting facsimiles of various plants, having peripheralshapessimulating the profiles of var- .ious;plants and being substantially the full sizes thereof, the front surfaces of said members heins deco ed o r p sent m t r a ly e appear nce. if th "var ous la ts; a mounting means n he a fifsa mem "f r 'q attachment or detachment said panel memet on h re pective po ts, sa d mountin tn eans comprising complemental, magnetic 'elements 'secured'to "thepanel and toihe post respe t ve y- "3. Landscape "testing "apparatus comprising, ,posts; pointed "at "one end and-"oi 'a, suitable-size ffo; 'convenient- *manual' insertien vertically into the ground, a plurality "of flat panel members constituting facsimiles of: various 'plants, having peripheral shapes simulating the profiles of "bring a setiof suchapparatusftoithepremi'ses'to Various plants and -beingsubstaritially th Fftill "be, landscaped. The rods or staffs are then pressed into the grounfdatthe'various'desirable points andthje artificial facsimiles of "plants or bushes are thus mounted 'and'installed about the =s'izes thereofithefront surfiaces of said members being decorated *to represent *pictorial'ly the appearance of the "various plants; and mounting means on the backs of said members for quickat- .yard, iand'alliacingto the directionfrom which 40 ta'cinnent or *deta'chmeni: cir'saicPpanel'members it is desiredito' view the decorated premises. The decorated landscape isthen? viewed from'tthis" iiis Qn e orati n c me y quickly modified to; make such improvements as des abl a d hese nerei iens 0f orat ng and vi w ng th ands pe a e c nt d "a re- Treated: unti the de i ed efiect 's: a nedig. "3 epres such s i hefappa n 'Q h emi e he ott d ine "Sh w ow e e facsimi a ly i tecr o'v y' he n sition- "mg a tlf t fiectpn the r ans m nthe d ap i hen p otograph d on v 'd 'ane ane 're r "for he'nr perty o n so at h a b s s ie ateri e m rin been carried out 'accorclingfto hisfselected'prefere ce, e pa atus l en'b mov d n id tif n s ake wi b l d' n the'eround n i u i' he panels iqr' proper lan ati n an i her n'is aid ut cmt e' p mises "for la tin It "will "be 'seenthat" I, haveprovided a method and means whereby t e size. pec e 'and'qu *t y rn m l h ub re ir d for an vgiven desired effect may be conveniently and easily i l edan i e mine t is 'pp ent hat tb e cope-d my invention *modificati'ons "and diflerent 'a rral e- "ments may benrafde "otherthan'herein disclosed,

* and the I present disclosure is illustrative 1 merely,

' the invention -comprehending variations thereof.

' I claim:

on the respective posts, :said testing, apparatus b'earing means "for relative adjustment between *thepane'l and the post ior viewin the panel front atvarious positions;

ROBERTR. "MEIZ;

ZREFERENGES (3313311) owing 'rei rences ar of. 'recordinfth file of hi gpa sn UNITED STATES Pampas,

Num-ber Name Date 905,228 Reeser Dec; 1, 1908 132895849 Manson Dec. 31, 1918 1 443321 7 TDO'dd' il an, 23, '1 923 4 1,472,709 Wiesenfielcl "Oct. 30, 'l 923 1 ,988,461 Rieeves- Jan. 22, 1935 2,305,567 Bole Dec. 113,1942

FOREIGN PATENII'S 00 Number zcountty Dat 72,832 Germany Jan,;.5, i834 1311;362, Austria raOpt.12fi',t-1925 113-3 113 .aAustria :MayslQ, 1-9-33 5934141,

. G eat :Britain' ass-9., Mar. :3. -921 OTH REF REN ES Popular Mechanicsmaes a103,. 84291 1 .3 Jul 36, l 

